At a Loss
by Precious Novelty
Summary: Dean and Sam must figure out what is wrong with Castiel before it's too late.
1. Chapter 1: Radio Wars

**Disclaimer: _Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke and the CW. The author of this story has not and will not make any money from this story. No copyright infringement Intended._**

**_Story Summary: _**Dean and Sam must figure out what is wrong with Castiel before it's too late.

**Ch.1 Summary:** Set between episode 6 "Yellow Fever" and episode 9 "I know what you did last summer" Dean tortures Sam, Sam tortures Dean, Dean confuses a guy for a girl and they both find common ground.

* * *

**At a Loss**

Ch.1 "Radio Wars"

* * *

Sam never touched the stereo when Dean was driving. Even when Sam was driving he rarely changed a tape or surfed radio stations. The rock his brother loved to listen to really wasn't that bad, and Dean usually let the entire tape play. Sam had ridden with friends who had ipods and listened to one song over and over until he started whispering "Cristo" just to make sure. No Dean never let the music get that redundant and often listened to the radio. Of course, the radio stations were always rock.

But this was...unbearable. Sam could not tune it out any longer. He gave Dean a sideways glance and then looked at the stereo, then back to Dean and back to the stereo. He was going to do it, or he was going to lose it. Sam sucked in a breath, and reached for the OFF button.

The car went silent. Sam snatched his hand back, and looked straight ahead as if nothing had happened.

Dean slowly turned his head towards Sam, mortification written all over his face. "DUDE!"

Sam looked at Dean, then the road, then back to Dean and made a shaky gesture towards the windshield. "Dean, will you watch the road?"

Deans hand shot out like a snake, and the nerve grinding ballads blared through the speakers once again. Sam squeezed his eyes shut and scrubbed his face. It was funny to begin with, but now it was just painful.

Sam eyed his older brother and then the OFF button. He looked straight ahead at the windshield. Element of surprise he thought, but had only just started to reach for the stereo, when Deans arm whipped out in front of him pointing into the air. Sam looked up at Dean, and deliberately moved his hand towards the dash.

"DON'T. Do it." His voice was calm, reserved and threatening all at the same time.

Sam let his hand fall back to his lap with a small bout of maniacal laughter. "Dean. No. I can't take it any more."

Dean looked at his brother and grinned just in time to sing his favorite line. **"I don't see no lettuce."**

Sam shook his head. "No. Dean. I'm serious."

Dean glanced back at the road, and then back to his brother singing **"Mr. Giant Taco Salad Inventor."**

A blissful moment of silence between tracks ensued, and Dean tried to persuade Sam. "Come on Sammy, this is good stuff!"

Sam sighed. "Yeah, it was Dean. Five hours ago. Hell, three hours ago. But now, now it's...miserable."

The next song started. **"Bud light presents real men of genius" **

Dean grinned and sang the words he knew.** "Today we salute you Mr. Major Highway Line Painter."**

Sam grew more desperate and began pleading. "Dean, listen to me. No! Stop singing... Seriously man...It's driving me crazy!"

Dean continued to sing and grin. **"It's a long and lonely road."**

Sam took a deep breath and let his chin drop to his chest. After everything he had been through in his life, all the monsters, demons and ghosts it was going to be the Bud Light Presents songs that killed him.

Sams eyes narrowed and he glared at Dean. Shouting over the music, he growled. "FINE. Pull over. PULL OVER DEAN!"

Dean glanced at Sam long enough for a dramatic eye roll. "Ok, ok. All you had to do was say." Dean hit the OFF button, and looked back up at the road, expecting that to be the end of it.

Though relieved Sam was still exasperated and on edge. "Say what Dean? That it was driving me crazy! That I wanted you to turn it off!"

Twilight was giving in to the darkness of night, and the next town was only fifteen minutes up the road. Dean could deal with crappy music for fifteen minutes. Easy. "Why don't you find a decent radio station, huh? Anything you feel like." He flashed a quick smile towards the stereo giving Sam the OK to play with it.

Sam arched his eyebrow at Dean and questioned. "Anything?"

Dean glanced at Sam and gave a quick nod. "Yeah, anything."

Sam smiled, evil intent shining in his eyes as he reached for the tuner.

Dean did a double take, and frowned. "Sammy."

"Yeah?"

"No rap."

"Ok." Not a problem. Sam didn't listen to rap.

Deans frown deepened. "And uh...no country."

"Ok." Sam was listening for songs he recognized in between static as he surfed from station to station.

Lines of worry began to form around Deans eyes. "And none of that boy band crap."

"DEAN!" It wasn't a problem. Sam didn't listen to any of that stuff, but he was enjoying messing with his older brother.

Dean swallowed and gave in. "Ok...but really, no rap."

Sam grinned, and stopped moving the tuner for a moment just to watch Deans reaction.

"_**Goodbye my lover...Goodbye my friend...You have been the one...You have been the one for me"**_

Dean flinched, opened his mouth and then closed it. He gripped the steering wheel with a vengence and hit the gas.

_He could do this. It was just noise. They were only five miles out. He had been through worse! He could …NOT do it!_ Dean looked at Sam, and groaned "REALLY?"

Sam nodded, and tried not to laugh.

Deans nose suddenly crinkled up, and a look of pure confusion flashed across his face.

Sam started to worry that he'd pushed it too far, when Dean asked "Dude, is that a guy?"

Sam laughed. "Yeah man, James Blunt."

Dean shivered. "Sounds like a chick."

Amused, Sam started surfing for stations again. "Yeah."

Dean breathed a sigh of relief when the car filled with static.

Sam found another song, and leaned back hoping Dean wouldn't hate it. The first song had been a joke, but Sam actually liked this one.

"...horses in a line...Two White Horses in a line...carrying me to my burying ground."

Deans expression didn't change, and Sam began to feel a little disappointed, then the song picked up.

"...might be your last farewell ride. Some say this might be your last farewell ride."

Sam dared another quick look in Deans direction, surprised when he saw his older brother nodding to the music. Sam relaxed into the seat smiling.

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_This first chapter has very little to with the whole story in general. Being as the rest of the story was born from a desire to continue this snippet however I felt it only fare to keep it as the first scene of a much larger and involved story. _

_I don't write for reviews or comments, but they do help and strangely enough make my day!_


	2. Chapter 2: Midnight Delivery

**Disclaimer: _Supernatural belongs to Eric Kripke and the CW. The author of this story has not and will not make any money from this story. No copyright infringement Intended._**

**_Story Summary: _**Dean and Sam must figure out what is wrong with Castiel before it's too between episode 6 "Yellow Fever" and episode 9 "I know what you did last summer"

**Ch.1 Summary:** After bedding down for the night, Sam and Dean are visited by a not so friendly angel.

* * *

**At a Loss**

Ch.1 "Midnight Delivery"

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It wasn't long before the deep forests to either side of the road gave way to buildings and houses. The whole town seemed to consist of a few gas stations, a diner and a hotel. They pulled off into the hotel parking lot, wondering if they should hit the next town.

Dean killed the engine, got out and started stretching. Sam grabbed his laptop from the backseat and tried to connect to the net. He had his own service, but wasn't finding a signal for it. However, if anyone around here had wifi, he could easily tap into it.

Dean leaned down into the drivers side window. "Sorry Sammy. Not gonna happen."

Sam continued searching for a connection of some kind.

Dean tried again. "Sam, check your phone."

That got Sams attention and he flipped his cell open, surprised when he saw he had zero bars. Giving the phone one last incredulous look, he tossed it on the dash and climbed out of the car. "Those get reception everywhere!"

Dean leaned against the the car, crossing his legs in front of him. "Yup. If they don't work here, the lap top sure as hell won't."

Sam yawned. "We could always keep going tell we hit the next town."

Dean shoved his hands in his jean pockets. "Chances are it'll be the same story. Maybe not even have a motel."

Sam shrugged, and headed towards the office to get them a room.

It was a small one level hotel. Dean was parking the car as Sam opened the door. The walls were covered in sponged teal and white. There were two beds, a T.V and a bathroom. No fridge, no phone, no table or extra chair. It was small, much smaller then any room they had ever stayed in.

Sam sighed and turned around to go get his duffel. Dean was just pulling his bag out as Sam approached the impala. "How's it?"

Sam glared back at the open door for a moment and frowned. "Claustrophobic."

Dean salted the window and door, while Sam strategically placed hex bags under the beds. They had hoped to find a place to eat when they hit town, but all everything was closed.

Dean sat on the edge of his bed, glaring around the room. He didn't mind sharing hotel rooms with his little brother, but this was more like sharing a box...and he was hungry. "Thats it. New rule. We only take jobs in towns that have at least one 24 hour fast food joint."

Sam was standing at the foot of his bed, rummaging through his duffel. He sighed, and said absently "There's probably a vending machine."

Dean sympathetically rubbed his stomach and frowned. "No change."

Sam paused and looked over at Dean.

Dean grinned and nodded. "Last motel had Magic Fingers. First time since I been back."

This time Sam smiled and laughed. "Dean your sick."

Dean grew more serious. "No, I'm hungry."

Sam sighed. "I don't have any cash."

"So?"

Sam straightened. "Right. Back in a few."

Dean leaned back on his bed, fully appreciative of his little brothers ability to raid vending machines

The room was dark but for a sliver of moonlight streaming through a crack in the curtains. Dean took the bed closest to the window. All was quiet and still.

Though both Dean and Sam were sleeping sound, twenty plus years of experience started both awake when the air in the room shifted with the noise of fluttering wings.

Dean, being more accustomed to the noise and heavy presence of angels set up more slowly then Sam who sprung out of bed with a sawed off shot gun.

Surprised by the weapon, Dean did a double take and stared at Sam with a look that said "_Since when did you start sleeping with that?"_

Sam had already relaxed the shotgun at his side and was reflecting Deans look with one of his own that clearly said _"No big deal."_

Uriels voice interrupted their silent discussion. "I have a job for you."

Sam turned towards Uriel with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation.

Dean started to chuckle as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

Uriel had been around Dean enough to recognize the beginning of a sarcastic tirade, but truth be told he had come to appreciate the humans fire.

Dean stood up, and turned towards Uriel. "One, we are heading to a job. Two, knock next time. Three, we don't take orders from you."

At best, Sam was uncomfortable with this little interaction. He wouldn't admit it, but Uriel scared the shit out of him. Sam looked from Uriel to Dean, tense and ready to jump the angel, for all the good it would do. To his surprise, Uriel flashed a broad smile at his brother.

_Uriel was laughing at him, he could see it in his eyes. _Dean looked afronted for a moment, but recovered quickly. With a smirk of his own he jabbed back. "You keep on smiling chuckles, it ain't gonna do ya any good."

Sam winced. _Why did his brother have antagonize him! _He looked back to Uriel. The angels smile tightened, and then he rose his hand.

Dean flinched . "Whoah, whoah. Uriel..."

Sam brought the shot gun to his chest, but the gun was ripped from his hands before he fired and he was shoved back onto his bed. He tried to grab for another weapon hidden under the edge of the bed, but found movement impossible. His muscles were jell-o, he didn't even have enough strength to set up.

Uriel boomed. "SET DOWN, AND LISTEN."

Dean was pushed down and immediately tried to stand back up, but couldn't get off the bed. He tried once more and then glared up at Uriel and growled. "What the hell? This is not alright. Smite me if your going to, but don't glue my ass to a mattress. It's wrong and weird."

Uriel looked at Dean, annoyed. He held his hand up again and threatened. "Shut your mouth, I will."

Dean looked over at Sam, giving him the patented _"Can you believe this guy"_ look, but quickly realized there was something off about his brother. Sam was laying on the bed, struggling to set up, only rising a few inches before collapsing back down. Deans head whipped around to Uriel, rage in his eyes and murder in his voice. "What the hell did you do to him you son of a bitch?"

Uriel was becoming agitated. True, he did not have much skill in handling humans, but this meeting was becoming absurd. "He is unharmed."

Uriel waved his hand in Sams direction. "So much as think of approaching me..." He left the threat unspecified for Sam to imagine.

He then turned his attention back to Dean. If looks could smite, Uriel was sure Dean Winchester would have done a fine job of it. Uriel waved his hand towards Dean, and he sprung to his feet without breaking his glare. "Where's Castiel?"

The lamps came on, and Uriel punctuated every syllable. "Castiel, is why I am here."

Dean took a step forward. "Whats that mean?"

Uriel shook his head slightly. The concern in the humans voice was obvious. A possible sign that Castiel was becoming too close to his charge. "We are fighting constantly. One battle ends, and another immediately begins. There is no sleep, no rest and no time to deal with an afflicted angel."

Sam spoke for the first time. "Afflicted. With what?"

Deans voice softened. "Cas is sick?...Wait, angels get sick?"

Uriel stiffened. "Angels do not get sick." He paused. "I don't know what it is. I don't care what it is, but he is of no use to us in his current state"

Sam asked "You can't heal him?"

Uriel said dryly "No."

Dean shook his head. "What the hell do you expect us to do?"

Uriel smiled. "The affliction is supernatural in nature. You are hunters, so hunt."

Sam and Dean both asked in unison. "Hunt what?"

Uriel ignored the question. "It was necessary to bind him. I will be back when the problem is resolved."

"Wait a minute." Dean barely got the first word out before Uriel was gone. He continued staring at the empty space Uriel had occupied mere seconds before and muttered "Son of a bitch."

Sam startled. "Dean."

Dean looked at Sam, and Sam nodded towards the wall opposite the bathroom. The bathroom door was slightly ajar and light was spilling into the main room revealing the shadow of a human figure.

Sam grabbed his sawed-off. Dean grabbed a flask of holey water and whispered to Sam "Castiel?"

Sam nodded. "Probably."

Still, neither relinquished their weapon.

Sam readied the shot gun, and Dean flung the door the rest of the way open.

The room was empty. Dean walked in cautiously, and pointed at the closed shower curtain. Sam nodded.

Dean ripped the shower curtain to one side revealing a wide eyed Castiel huddled in the corner.

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_If you enjoyed this bit, or found it impossible to get through because of the writing...please let me know!_


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